Sterilizing cabinet



Feb. 9, 1943. w. L EcKHmD-rv STERILIZING CABINET Filed April 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l r-Ill l .r l-- ...I l II l l- Illlllllllllllll l l l ,L L

Feb. 9, 1943.

2 sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1940 QHIIILHHHHI Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEEHLZING CABINET 'Walter L. Eckhardt, Overbrook, Pa., assigner .to

Hygeian Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 25, 1940,1'Serial No. 331,567

(Cl. 'll-233) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to sterilizing cabinets, and particularly to a .combination sterilizing cabinet and toilet seat.

Many efforts have been made in the past to provide devices for sterilizing toilet vseats .to Aenhance the sanitation of the devices, but so fara-s known the previous eiiorts 'have been objectionable for one reason or another to degrees militating against their .successful commercial exploitation. While there are other factors, some of the outstanding ones .may be 'listed as follows: the cost of the .device was .too high and the operating expense was also high; the sterilization was not complete.; the treatment iorsterilization was such as to have an adverse reactive effect upon the materials used; the use vof the device was so .cemplicated that .it was unsatisfactory; and the appearance was unattractive.

It is among .the objects of this invention; to provide .a sterilizing .cabinet with openings normally closed by a toilet seat; yto combine into .a single unita sterilizing cabinet and-a toilet seat; to improve the art of sterilization Aof `toilet seats; to provide a sterilizing device vfor toilet seats by which complete sterilizationof .high eiiiciency but of relatively low 4cost of production `and operation is secured; to provide a sterilizing Yray emmssive device with reecting devices vsuch that the rays are incident uponall of the surfaces-of the toilet seat so as to .sterilize it in its entirety; to provide a toilet seat and sterilizing cabinet within which it is housed and sterilized, with facile means for moving the seat to operative position without manual contact with the seat; to provide a toiletseat housing with lever means iormoving the seat; to provide improvements in .metal toilet seats; to provide means for maintaining a warm toilet seat; to -provide a metallic toilet seat with means for warmingsame; to providea sterilizng cabinet and toilet seat combination of shallowness horizontally to enable its 'use withany sort of .toilet and flush tank; to provide a toilet seat housing with lever means vfor moving the seat.

from the 4housing substantially to operative :position in which Yit is .temporarily lockedby the operation of a mechanism zwhich may be hander treadle operated, pursuant to which the .actual use of the seat effects a setting of fthemechanism such that removal of the weightofthe user` causes lthe seat to move automatically back into the cabinet; to provide a sterilizing cabinet and a toilet seat housed therein with-asterilizing lamp nor- :mally .energized during the housing of the seat,

with means for automatically deenergizing Ythe lamp during use of the seat whenout of thecab- -to such parts.

inet; to 'provide va combination st erilizing cabinet and toilet seat with operating means such that treadle operation for a limited motion causes the seat to move out of the .cabinet to superposed slightly spaced rela-tion to the porcelain bowl and automatically 'locks it in that position until such time as the Weight of `the user is upon the seat to move the .seat Ydownwardly to rest uponsaid bowl; to improve .the Construction of toilet seats; 'to provide a vtoilet lseat lwith a lower surface contoured to facilitate incidenceof reflected rays over substantially .the Aentire :lower lsurface of -the seat, and to provide many additional objects and advantages which will Abecome more .apparent as the description proceeds.

In the .accompanying drawings forming part of this description:

Fig. 1 represents .a iront .elevation .of .a Qombined .sterilizing .cabinet `.and .toilet seat embodying one formof the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 .represents .aside .elevation .of the same, partly broken away;

Fig. i3 Yrepresents airagmentary elevation ofthe otherside of .the cabinet; y

Fie. :representsafrontelevation .of theecabinet assembled for use with a flush tank V.and hopper, the :seat `:being shown vlowered to .initial .Seating position;

Fig. 15 represents aside v'elevation ofthe 1as sembly of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 representsia section online Fig. '7 represents a fragmentary sectional elevation showing .one orm of seat return mechanismg;

Fig. ;8 :representsv a fragmentary `planet theseat returnand latchinginechanism;

Fig. 9 represents a detail of the cam stop member;

Fig. l0 represents. a vertical-,section l,through the .cam `stop member Von line :l0-lil of Fig. r9;;

Fig. 11 `represents a section'through a modified -form Vof seat .and

Fig. i2 represents ca. :section through Ya `further vmodiiied form .of yseat2f.C .I..I1fle of-shectmeta1- Referring to the drawings one :form of the present ifinvention; comprises .a housing lll ofl suitable size and shape to rform the Cabinet for enlclosing the .operating parts of l.the invention and for properly locating a-.toiletpe'at Ill with respect As shown :the .housing -lll isggenerally rectangular .in 'transverse section and is `relativelyshallow andiis arranged to -be mounted in fa vertical .position'at the nrear of .a toiletbowl `or hopper 12 .and in .front :of the flush tank .4.3. .As so disposed fit presents :a -front face lrelatively e-e oi eig. i;

wide at its .base and preferably inwardly converging at its top portion to a smooth curve outline of pleasing proportions. This face is apertured to receive the seat il when the latter is not in use, and since the seat, here shown by way of example, is of the bifurcated type, two elongated openings I4 are provided therein. Each of these openings I4 conforms to the contour of the seat side l5 and is of a size to allow the side to pass therethrough with but a slight edge clearance.

For mounting the seat for movement from cabinet receiving position to hopper position and return the sides I5 are carried by butt plates I6 which are pinned or otherwise made fast to a shaft I1 journalled transversely of the base of the housing in bearings I8. The shaft I1 is arranged to be rocked as required by an arm 2D fixed to a counter shaft 2i between which and the shaft I1 there is a lever system through which a relatively small arc of travel of the arm is translated into the large arc of travel necessary to cause the seat II to swing from cabinet down to seating position above the hopper I2. In the present instance this leverage consists of a link 22 attached at one end to the counter shaft 2I and at the other end by a pivot 23 to a shorter link 24 which has a curved end pivoted to a crank arm 25 pinned to the shaft I1. Thus a few degree swing of the arm 20 results in substantially a ninety degree swing of the seat II, and consequently little exertion is required to lower the seat. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the arm 2 Il is attached to the counter shaft 2l to hang down beside the hopper I2 in a convenient position for foot actuation, but it may be reversed as shown in dotted lines and broken away in Figs. 4 and 5 for hand actuation if desired.

In order to control the seat II and automatically return it to the cabinet When relieved of the weight of the user, the shaft I1 has a latch arm 26 pinned, or otherwise fixed, thereto to carry a pin 21 which passes through the bifurcated end of a follower rod 28. The rod 28 is attached to a cap-shaped follower 38 which receives one end of a coil spring 3I while the other end of the said spring seats against the apertured end of a cylinder 32. In order that the cylinder 32 can automatically adjust itself to stresses placed upon the follower 30 to prevent binding of the latter, the cylinder 32 is provided with laterally disposed alinedtrunnions 33 which are journalled in bearing plates 34 within the housing I0. When the shaft I1 is turned to lower the seat I I the spring 3l is immediatelyplaced under compression by the inward movement of the follower 39 and consequently the stored energy becomes effective to return the seat to housed position within the cabinet or housing I0. In order to prevent a premature return of the seat, as otherwise would happen when the user lets go of the arm 20, and in order to permit the placing of the seat operatively upon the hopper in two distinct separate steps which may be completely and widely separated in time, a novel latch mechanism is provided comprising a keeper bar 35 pivoted with a slight amount of lateral give or play on one of the trunnions 33 and having its free end provided with a side face cam slot 36 juxtaposed with respect to a latch arm 31 which carries a latch pin 38 arranged to ride in the slot 36. The latch arm 31 is fast to the shaft I1 and therefore follows the movement thereof as the seat is lowered away from the housing I8. The shape of the cam slot 36 is important in that the first portion 40 of its length is a substantially true arc preferably on a greater' radius than would be developed about the shaft I1 as an axis, the second portion 4I of its length is upwardly inclined to continue on a reverse curve and lead into the return portion 42 which communicates with the portion 48 over a sloping stop element 43 the perpendicular face of which forms a continuation of surface defining slot 38 to thereby bring the pin 38 back to its starting point. The portion 4I forms an upper abutment 49 which engages the pin 38 when the seat has nearly reached its seating position and it is this abutment which serves as a latch or detent to oppose the action of the spring 3| until the user is seated upon the seat II. This initial seating position is shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7, and while the arm 20 has been released the spring SI is ineffective because the latch pin 38 is held by the abutment 49. As soon, however, as the weight of the user is upon the seat II, it moves downward to rest upon the hopper, and in so doing shifts the latch pin 38 away from the abutment 49 and into the return cam slot portion 42 so that the spring becomes effective to turn the shaft I1 and return the seat to the housing I0. Preferably the tension of the spring 3| is such as to return the seat without rapidity and consequent noise. This quietness and certainty of operation is facilitated by having piston 30 exert a dash-pot action in cylinder 43, by compressing air therein against a slow leakage therefrom. Obviously this may be regulated as may be preferred.

For the purpose of sterilizing the seat II, aray emissive device 44 is provided and, as here shown comprises an elongated tube disposed medially of the housing II) between the two seat sides I5 and in close proximity to the plane which passes through the aforesaid sides. The tube is energized by an electric current by means of conductors 45 and 46 leading from a transformer 41 to which current is supplied from a suitable source. The circuit of the conductors includes a switch 48 preferably of the mercury type which is so mounted on the operating mechanismfor the shaft I1 as to follow any movement thereof. The arrangement is such that when the seat II is in the cabinetl I0 the switch 48 closes the circuit to the ray emissive device but when the seat Il is lowered the switch 48 opens so that the tube is deenergized until the seat returns to the cabinet.

In order that all rays emanating from the tube can be directed to both the upper and lower faces of the seat, a mainv reflector 50 is arranged transversely of the housing I 0 at the rear of the tube and has a concave face opposite the top of the seat, such concavity merging into inwardly curved ends 5I which cup respectively about the outer margins of the seat. 'I'his construction, not only directs and reflects active rays across the top of the seat but also around the edge margins and against the outer face of the bottom of the seat. An auxiliary refiector 52 is secured to the front of the housing opposite to the device 44, and is preferably of elongated V-shape in transverse section with the apex in close proximity to the device 44. The sides of the V- shaped auxiliary reflector are concaved the proper amount to redirect rays towards the inner edge faces of the seat and across the inner face surfaces of the bottom thereof from a direction opposite to those rays reflected from the main reflector ends 5I. In this wall all areas of the seat, both top and bottom, are bathed by sterilizing rays and a. sanitary condition maintained at all times.

It will be observed in Fig. 6 that the cross sectional profile of the seat is unique, in that although the upper body contacting surfaces 53 may be conventional, and are illustrated as oval, although they might equally well be flat or even slightly dished or concaved, the lower surface is preferably formed of two intersecting generally concave surfaces respectively 54 and 55 meeting in the substantially median rib or ridge 56. The latter forms a support for the seat in contact with the upper surface of the porcelain hopper, and also provides a, lower surface which by its very contour is completely bathed in the sterilizing rays incident either directly or indirectly by reflection thereon as indicated by dotted lines at the right of Fig. 6.

The modified form of seat shown in Fig. 11 in cross sectional profile, is simply a double o-val, in which the upper surface 5.1 and the lower surface 58 are merged by curved side edges as shown and the lower surface of which also serves the dual function of forming a resting support for the seat, and also one in which all sides of the seat can be bathed in the sterilizing rays in a manner similar to the preferred form shown in Fig. 6.

The modification shown in Fig. 12 is very cheap and very efficient and under many conditions may be preferred. This is completely of metal, preferably, comprising an upper sheet metal transversely generally convex surface 60 formed as a stamping or the like. The lower portion cornprises preferably a single stampinginto two generally concave surfaces Si and 62 meeting in a ridge 63.. The two stamped sheets are brought together and the juxtaposed side edges are spot or otherwise welded together, as indicated at 64. The metal assembly thus formed may be dipped into suitable material and baked to provide a close grained practically indestructible seat of extreme economy of manufacture and of inappreciable thickness compared to conventional seats. This enables an appreciable thinning of the cabinet housing same.

. The use of the modification -alone as a toilet seat is perfectly feasible, as the main use of such seats is in homes in which they would partake of the room temperatures and would not be too cold nor too prone to rapid heat conduction to be useful. In connection with the cabinet and seat combination of this invention however, it is of even greater utility. This is for the reason that the transformer and sterilizing ray tube of the invention emit a certain amount of heat so that the inside of the cabinet is warmed. With the metal seat normally housed within the cabinet, the seat will be warmed and therefor the primary objection to the universal use of metallic toilet seats will be removed.

It is to be observed that the seat sides move into the cabinet, leaving a slight opening all around their margins or edges to enable the sterilizing rays from the tube to be reflected on all sides of the seats. The advertising value of such outline bathed in ultra violet or violet light will be appreciated.

It will be understood that if desired small scuppers, (not shown) may be provided to insure that any fluid material carried by the under portion of the sea-t will be diverted from the cabinet to the bowl as it may run gravitationally down the ascending seat.

It is to be understood that the particular lamp shown is preferably one that emits ultra violet radiation of sufficient intensity for the. purposes of quick sterilizing of thev seat. It will probably be longer'in actual construction than is illustratively shown herein, and illustratively will have a ray emitting length of approximately fifteen inches. Obviously it may be of any nature and any other size.

It will be understood that suitable bracing and the like will be provided to furnish a rigid and strong assembly. The switch used is preferably a mercury switch that closes the circuit when the switch is moved to the horizontal and breaks it when a slight movement away from the horizontal takes place.

ItV will be understood in connection with the treadle or hand lever that a suitable safety device will be incorporated as desired so that an unduly heavy handed or footed operation beyond that necessary to move the seat to the body contact operating position, finds a yielding either in the lever itself, or in its pivotal mounting as will be clear. A lost motion spring controlled (not shown) may be used for the purpose.

Mention must be made of a highly important use of the invention herein in connection with pay toilets. While the cleanliness 0f the devices will have a wide appeal, the system of combining the cabinet with the toilet seat as di.;- closed enables the avoidance of the door controlled coin slot of the previous practice, and enables a coin controlled connection between the lever or treadle and the toilet seat. Means (not shown) can readily be provided whereby an inserted coin forms the actuating link of the assembly to cause the otherwise freely swinging, or locked treadle lever, to swing and actuate the seat. Such use is contemplated.

It will be understood that the detent and latch mechanism enables the initial movement of the pin 38 the length of the slot 36 because it rides along the perpendicular face of the cam element 43 to prevent its undesired entry into slot i2 rst. There is a slight relative lateral yielding of the whole permitting this function, although if desired everything can be made rigid and pin 38 can be spring pressed for the purpose (not shown) It is pointed out further that the lamp used may be equally well be one that emits sterilizing infra red rays, or combinations of infra red and tra violet, and in the broader aspects of the invention any other type of sterilizing unit can be utilized than that using sterilizing radiant energy.

I claim as my invention:

l. A sterilizing cabinet and toilet seat comprising a house having an apertured face, a toilet seat of such contour as substantially to ll the orice in said face, means mounting the seat for movement into and out of the said orifice, reflecting means inthe cabinet having portions curved about the free edges of the toilet seat when the latter is disposed in the cabinet, and a source of radiant energy within the housing arranged to be incident upon two sides of the said toilet seat by reflection from said curved portions.

2. A sterilizing cabinet and toilet seat comprising a housing, means for journalling a toilet seat in the housing, a toilet seat mounted on said means and swingable through an arc of substantially from a position substantially parallel with the front wall of the housing to a position substantially normal thereto, a counter shaft journalled in the housing, an arm on the shaft, and means engaging between and multiplying the movement of the counter shaft and the rst mentioned means whereby a short arm movementl secures substantially full seat movement.

3. A sterilizing cabinet and toilet seat comprising a housing, a shaftl in the housing, a toilet seat on the shaft and arranged to swing through substantially 90 of movement from a position substantially parallel with the front face of the cabinet to a position substantially normal thereof, resilient means constantly urging the seat to its said substantially parallel position, dash-pot means disposed to cushion the movement of the seat in responding to such resilient urge, a detent operatively coupled with the seat to hold the seat in a position almost normal to the face of the cabinet against the urges of said resilient means, and means for releasing the detent and permitting the urge to become effective on the seat pursuant to movement of the seat to a position more nearly normal to the cabinet under the weight of the user.

4. A sterilizing cabinet and toilet seat comprising a housing, a shaft in the housing, a toilet seat cn the shaft and arranged to swing through substantially 90 of movement from a position substantially parallel with the front face of the cabinet to a position substantially normal thereof, resilient means constantly urging the seat to its said substantially parallel position, dash-pot means disposed to cushion the movement of the seat in responding to such resilient urge, a detent operatively coupled with the seat to hold the seat in a position almost normal to the face of the cabinet against the urge of said resilient means, means for releasing the detent and permitting the urge to become effective on the seat pursuant to movement of the seat to a position more nearly normal to the cabinet under the weight of the user, a lever for swinging the seat from the cabinet parallel to the front wall, to the said position almost normal to said front wall.

5. A sterilizing cabinet and toilet seat comprising a housing, a shaft in the housing, a toilet seat on the shaft and arranged to swing through substantially 90 of movement from a position substantially parallel with the front face of the cabinet vto a position substantially normal thereof, resilient means constantly urging the seat to its said substantially parallel position, dash-pot means disposed to cushion the movement of the seat in responding to such resilient urge, a detent operatively coupled with the seat to hold the seat in a position almost normal to the face of the cabinet against the urge of said resilient means, means for releasing the detent and permitting the urge to become effective on the seat pursuant to movement of the seat to a position more nearly normal to the cabinet under the weight of the user, a lever for swinging the seat from the cabinet parallelto the front wall. to the said position almost normal to said front wall, with a multiplied angular movement compared with the lever movement.

6. A sterllizing cabinet and toilet seat comprising a housing, a shaft in the housing, a toilet seat on the shaft and arranged to swing through substantially of movement from a position substantially parallel with the front face of the cabinet to a position substantially normal thereof, resilient means constantly urging the seat to its said substantially parallel position, dash-pot means disposed to cushion the movement of the seat in responding to such resilient urge, a detent operatively coupled with the seat to hold the seat in a position almost normal to the face of the cabinet against the urge of said resilient means, and means for releasing the detent and permitting the urge to become effective on the seat pursuant to movement of the seat to a position more nearly normal to the cabinet under the weight of the user, electrical sterilizing means in the cabinet.

'7. A sterilizing cabinet and toilet seat comprising a housing, a shaft in the housing, a toilet seat on the shaft and arranged to swing through substantially 90 of movement from a position substantially parallel with the front face of the cabinet to a position substantially normal thereof, resilient means constantly urging the seat to its said substantially parallel position, dash-pot means disposed to cushion the movement of the seat in responding to such resilient urge, a detent operatively coupled with the seat to hold the seat in a position almost normal to the face of the cabinet againstv the urge of said resilient means, and means for releasing the detent and permitting the urge to become effective on the seat pursuant to movement of the seat to a position more nearly normal to the cabinet under the weight of the user, and means synchronized in its actuation with the movement of said seat for opening and closing a circuit as a function of the seat movement from and to the cabinet.

8. A sterilizing cabinet and toilet seat comprising a housing having an apertured face, a toilet seat of such contour as substantially to ll the orice in said face, means mounting the seat for movement into and out of the said orifice, reflecting means in the cabinet having portions curved about'l the free edges of the toilet seat when the latter is disposed in the cabinet, and a source of radiant energy within the housing arranged to be incident upon two sides of the said toilet seat by reflection from said curved portions, the toilet seat having a lower surface so curved as to be bathed in radiant energy over its entire surface.

WALTER L. ECKHARDT. 

